Mid Suffolk

Mid Suffolk's population increased by about 9,900 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population reached nearly 97,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Mid Suffolk increased by 11.4%, from just over 86,800 to 96,700.

The addition of just under 9,900 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Mid Suffolk was home to, on average, 0.79 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was lower than the average across Eastof England

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Eastof England, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Mid Suffolk

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Mid Suffolk increased by three years, from 41 to 44 years.

This area had a higher average age than Eastof England and remained older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of about 4,600 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by almost 2,000.

About 14.0% of people in Mid Suffolk are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Mid Suffolk by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Mid Suffolk that rented privately increased from 8.4% to 11.2% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in nine (11.3%) households lived in social housing, compared with 11.9% in 2001. The percentage of Mid Suffolk households that owned their home decreased from 76.7% to 75.1%.

The proportion of privately rented homes decreased faster here than in any other local authority district across Eastof England. But despite the improvement, Mid Suffolk remained less healthy than the regional average 14.6% in Eastof England described their health as good in 2011).

Private renting in Mid Suffolk increased by 2.8 percentage points

Percentage of households in Mid Suffolk, Eastof England and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

More adults are separated from partners

Mid Suffolk saw Eastof England's largest rise in the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner.

In 2011, just over one in nine (11.3%) people aged 16 and over in Mid Suffolk said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner, compared with 9.2% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 60.4% to 56.7%.

Across the region, Tendring saw the next largest increase in the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner (from 10.9% in 2001 to 13.0% in 2011).

During this period, Mid Suffolk went from having the 41st-highest to the 18th-lowest percentage of people who had divorced or separated out of 309 English local authority areas.

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Changing work life

The rate of unemployment increased in Mid Suffolk, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Eastof England, except Cambridge.

Every local authority area across Eastof England saw a rise in the proportion of unemployed people, as the regional average grew from 2.6% to 3.8%.

The rate of unemployment was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were unemployed across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Mid Suffolk

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Mid Suffolk was among those who said they had no religion, rising 13.6 points.

In 2011, 29.9% of respondents in Mid Suffolk gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 16.3% of those who answered in 2001.

Across Eastof England, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion and described themselves as having no religion increased from 18.2% to 30.0%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Mid Suffolk, 69.1% said they were Christian, compared with 83.1% in 2001. About 0.4% said they identified with a religion other than Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism or Sikhism, compared with 0.3% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and said they were Buddhist increased from 0.1% to 0.2%.

In Mid Suffolk, 7.8% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 7.5% in 2001. Across Eastof England, 7.2% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population that said they had no religion in Mid Suffolk increased by 14 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, East and Mid Suffolk by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Mid Suffolk

The percentage of Mid Suffolk residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 7.5% to 7.7% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (3.2%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 2.5% in 2001. The percentage of Mid Suffolk residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 90.1% to 89.2%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 6.9% in 2001 to 6.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Mid Suffolk working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 17.4% to 13.5% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (2.9%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.0% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 14.7% in 2001 to 11.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13.0% to 10.1%.

Long hour working in Mid Suffolk decreased by 3.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Mid Suffolk, Eastof England and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Mid Suffolk residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 6.7% to 4.0% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (83.2%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 71.5% in 2001. The percentage of Mid Suffolk residents that described their health as fair decreased from 21.9% to 12.9%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 7.6% in 2001 to 4.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Mid Suffolk decreased by 2.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Mid Suffolk, Eastof England and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More single parents

The percentage of households in Mid Suffolk, which comprised a single parent, increased from 6.1% to 7.6% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over 4 in 10 (41.5%) households had a married couple, compared with 45.5% in 2001. The percentage of households in Mid Suffolk, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 8.4% to 9.9%.

The proportion of single-parent households increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 8.1% in 2001 to 9.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.5% to 10.7%.

The percentage of households with a single-parent in Mid Suffolk increased by 1.6 percentage points

Percentage of households in Mid Suffolk, Eastof England and England that had a single parent, March 2001 and March 2011

More homes without children

The percentage of households in Mid Suffolk without children increased from 61.6% to 62.8% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (28.1%) households had at least one dependent child, compared with 29.5% in 2001. The percentage of households in Mid Suffolk with only adult children living with their parents increased from 8.9% to 9.1%.

The proportion of households without children increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (which remained close to 60.8%). Across England, the percentage remained close to 61.2%.

The proportion of households without children was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Mid Suffolk

In 2011, 97.9% of Mid Suffolk residents said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, making it the most common ethnicity in this local authority area. The population from these groups has increased from 99.0% in 2001.

Across Eastof England, the percentage of people from one of the White ethnic groups fell from 94.9% to 90.4%, while across England the percentage went from 90.7% to 85.1%.

Around 1.0% of people in Mid Suffolk said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 0.5% in 2001. About 0.7% said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, compared with 0.3% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.1% to 0.4%.

The population from one of the White ethnic groups in Mid Suffolk decreased by 1.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Mid Suffolk by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Mid Suffolk residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 0.9% to 1.1% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.6%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 0.9% in 2001 to 1.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Mid Suffolk remained close to 1.1%

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Mid Suffolk by care, March 2001 and March 2011

↑ Back to the top

Area report data

Related links